Members of a party abide by primary results. There is no such thing as an "petitioning Democrat." If there was, Joe could accept the Republican endorsement and run as a "Republican Democrat."
Joe has also clearly stated he thinks he will lose the primary on August 8th. His internal polls must look even worse than I thought.
Just like when Joe ran for Vice President and Senate at the same time in 2000 - meaning that if he and Gore had won, Democrats would have lost a senate seat to a Republican appointment - he is again putting his own career and self-interest ahead of his constitutents and his party (or now ex-party).
In addition, Joe has just created a world of shit for his supposed friends Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer, Chris Dodd, Diane Farrell, Joe Courtney, and Chris Murphy. I wonder what they all think of this.
This is how he treats his friends. This is how he treats his party. On the slowest news day of the summer.
These are the actions of a very weak candidate, and a selfish and cowardly man.
What a sorry sight to see an 18-year incumbent senator running scared from a little primary challenge like this. No backbone. No courage. No integrity.
Joe's trying to have it both ways, taking out his little insurance policy, but this disloyalty to both party and the voters of Connecticut should cause every good Democrat to distance themselves from his actions and endorse Ned Lamont.